Animals are essential for human life. Besides the pleasurable aspects derived from living and working with animals and observing wildlife, animals are a major food source for humans and may also be used to provide wearable articles. For mass consumption, animals are generally raised in large scale production facilities, in contrast to farming practices in past times where animals were raised in smaller farming operations. Large scale production facilities with their attendant crowding of animals, increased infection control, and stressful lifestyle for the animals, require more human control of the animals' environment and diet.
An example of large scale production of animal husbandry is production of poultry. Poultry production comprises two major categories, meat production and egg production. Poultry production encompasses a number of different species, including chickens reared for laying eggs (i.e., “layers”) and chickens reared for meat production (i.e., “broilers”), turkeys, ducks, and other waterfowl and game birds. The particular type of production may differ for each species though aspects are common to all.
Eggs are typically collected from breeder farms, taken to a hatchery and stored from 0 to 10 days prior to being set in an incubator. When the eggs are placed in incubators, embryonic development begins. Different species of birds require different incubation times. Chickens hatch in 21 days while turkeys and ducks need 28 days. Artificial incubation allows for the hatching of large numbers of chicks of the same age. Eggs are set in specially designed trays that allow the eggs to be tilted and turned. Eggs are transferred from setting trays into hatching trays 3 days before expected hatch. The hatchlings (chicks, poults, or ducklings) are processed (vaccinated, gender sorted, and/or other procedures) then transported to commercial grow-out facilities.
Chickens are specifically bred to have characteristics that are desirable in the final product. Meat poultry is selected for good meat type, fast growth, disease resistance, and efficient conversion of feed to meat. The body weights of meat and egg production strains are generally quite different. Meat production birds, i.e., broilers, are relatively easy to raise. When the birds arrive, they are placed into brooder rings around a heater (brooder) and introduced to waterers and feed. Generally, broilers are brooded in a portion of the house until a certain age before being given access to the entire barn.
Some farms separate male and female birds, a practice called separate-sex feeding. When birds are separated and fed according to gender (versus rearing males and females together), there will be more uniformity among males and among females in the flock. Separation of the birds also allows producers to feed diets that more closely meet the nutritional needs of the male and female birds.
Raising turkeys takes more time than raising broilers, as turkeys take longer to mature. Generally, a turkey is sent to market anywhere between 15 and 25 weeks of age. At 20 weeks of age, a male turkey should weigh about 35-40 pounds. The duck is a rapidly growing animal. A typical duck will weigh 7 pounds in only 6 or 7 weeks.
Different strains of chickens are used for table egg production. These are selected for high egg production, large egg size, and small body weight for better conversion of feed to eggs and good livability. The modern laying hen begins laying eggs at approximately 18 weeks of age and by the end of her first year, she may have produced upwards of 200 eggs—nearly 25 pounds. The hen reaches peak egg production (e.g., >95% or 95+%) within 4 to 6 weeks after she begins to lay eggs.
Poultry diets generally consist of common grains and protein sources with mineral and vitamin supplements. Animal or vegetable fats may be added to increase energy and reduce dustiness. Corn, grain sorghum, wheat, oats, and barley are often used for poultry feeding in the United States. Soybean meal is widely used as a protein supplement. Other important protein supplements are meat meal, fish meal, safflower meal, feather meal, and canola meal.
What is needed are food and/or water supplements or additives that can increase the meat production or egg laying capacity, enhance the overall health of the animals and lower the costs of raising poultry. Such methods and compositions would be advantageous for other livestock or animals.